Remembering

My uncle Bill is still MIA over the Pacific.  What a debt we owe to those who have served and those who are serving!

Cool and Wet days

We brought the "boys" back from pasture and will keep them in their own little spot until they need to go to work later in June.  As you can see it has been raining again.  It's been a rainy, cool week.  We didn't work cattle this week due to the rain.  The yards are all muddy too.

We've been working on fixing the fences of the summer pastures.  The deep snow always damages the fences.  This is the lush green tunnel on the way to the north pastures.  There are always deer,  rabbits and birds to watch for along the way.

We have a lot of Meadowlarks.  They are so pretty with their yellow breasts and black V ties.  They have a distinctive melodious song.

I'm a cloud watcher.  The sky is always changing.  We've seen a lot of rain clouds this week.  There haven't been any rainbows, because the sun has not been shining.

Some of the clouds weren't very friendly looking either.  No tornados here tho.  I have been praying for the people of Joplin this week.    What a mess a tornado can make in a matter of minutes, as we well know from our neighbors place last summer.

The people in Central South Dakota need your prayers too.  The Missouri River flows through the towns of Pierre (the state capital) and Ft. Pierre.  They are preparing for flooding caused by letting water pass through the Oahe Dam on the river.   Snow thaw and rain from Montana and North Dakota are contributing to the problems. 

Michelle had this week off before she starts her new nursing job.  She was going to help us, but returned to the Pierre area to help friends with sand bagging and moving their personal property.   One of her very good friends lives in a beautiful home near the river and the future does not look good for their home.  No one is quite sure what will happen as they release more and more water this next week.  

Are there more natural disasters now or are we just more aware of them?  What a year it has been so far!

Random Photos

Don't mess with me or my baby!

 

Some one got caught with his paws in the cat food pan.

Sweet Dreams, Peanut.

Greening Up

 The trees are finally starting to leaf out.  The grass is growing too.  It's been very windy all week.   The temperatures are still staying below normal in the 50's and low 60's.  The wind makes it feel even colder.  The next four days have rain in the forecast.  We still haven't gotten the corn planted due to wet fields.  It looks like it will be later than ever.

It has been such a long, cold winter that we are running out of feed.  We have been fixing fences this week and sorting cattle.  The heifers have had all their shots and been branded.   As soon as we get a nice day next week we'll work cattle and start taking them to summer pastures.  The cattle are ready.  They are working on the fences trying to reach the greener, longer grass on the other side. 

It always surprises me how soon the baby calves start eating silage and hay with their moms.  They will enjoy the sweet taste of greener pastures too. 

Some one asked if we name all our cows.  We don't name them all, but some of them get a name by their actions or because we've had special contact with them, like the bottle calves.  Of course, DH calls some of them some names I can't mention.  As much as you want to help a cow, she usually doesn't understand that you are only helping her or her calf. All the cattle have ear tags and we record information by tag number.  It helps to match up pairs and know the age of the cows.

Working with cattle can be dangerous for the rancher and sometimes for the animal.   This is "Crooked Jaw".  Her jaw was broken in a stampede.  She survived the injury, but needs extra care.  We usually keep her in a smaller pen of animals so she gets extra feed.  She eats slower so she needs to have the opportunity to have extra time eating before someone else eats all the food.   She does well eating grass too.   She raises a baby every year.

I'm looking forward to the end of morning feeding chores and all day calving activities.  I haven't even cleaned the garden off yet.  I did pick up some garden seeds when we were in Pierre last Saturday.  With the cooler weather it really hasn't felt like gardening weather yet.  I'm itching to get back to some time for sewing and blogging about quilting.  lol

Bird Watching

One of the perks of doing chores in the morning is watching the birds.  We had alot of snow and rain, so we have alot of water that attracts waterfowl.  I don't have the greatest camera for taking pictures, but I try.  I'm really not sneaking up on them either, just driving by.  lol 

 This Mallard duck is the only one that didn't fly away when I drove by. Their green heads are such a pretty green.  Isn't it amazing the colors that God painted on birds?  Most of the time you see them in pairs, but I think they have started nesting now.

 

You will have to click and enlarge this next picture to see the Wilson's Phalaropes that are sharing the water with the Mallard.  I have been trying to get a video of these little waders.  They are so funny!  They twirl around and around as they stir up the water and feed.  We call them "twirly birds" or "dizzy ducks".  I'm sure Mr. Wilson would not be impressed with our renaming them.  This morning there were about 30 on this pond, but I didn't have the camera with.

I also saw a huge Blue Heron flying.  It was funny to see his long legs sticking out straight behind him.  I always see the best things when I don't have the camera. 

We haven't been feeding the birds by the house this year, because of all the cats we have.  I miss seeing the cute little finches out the kitchen window at the feeder.   There are flocks of birds who eat in the pastures with the cows and of course there is plenty of food for them in the feed yard and by the grain bins too.  I love these yellow headed blackbirds.  They are such pretty bright spots among the other birds.  They nest in the reeds and cat tails in the slew south of the house.

This next picture is of a Cattle Egret. You don't see these by the water. It's so strange to see them walking around the cows. They eat the insects and flies that bother the cows, but sometimes the cows chase them.

We have a lot of American Coots this year.  The slew is very full of water this year and so they are staying longer than usual.  I would love to video them too.  They don't fly off high in the sky--they look like they are running on top of the water as they run away.  They are all black except for their noses and when they are tipped down under the water you can see white stripes on their cute little butts.  They have red around their eyes too--pretty fancy looking guys.

I was lucky enough to win a Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks magazine during their blog hop.  There are a lot of neat blocks with many possibilities.  I really want to start making some of them.  I'm thinking table runners.

 I want to say "Congratulations"  to my blog friend, Linda.  She won a Baby GO from Accuquilt.  I'm so excited for her.  I can't wait to see how she likes it.

Hannah

This is Hannah.  Hannah was a bottle baby for a while 2 years ago.  She is a new mom this year and such a good one.  I smile every time I see her in the pasture. 
 

I thought you might like to see the Mom in action.  I think it is a bath and a kiss all in one.

This little guy likes to get into his food.  lol  I just had to take his picture.

I had a great time last night with quilting friends.  We checked out the new location of the Quilter's Corner in Faulkton.  The larger shop is very nice and everything was displayed so nicely.  I bought a Happy Jelly Roll and a Dilly Dally charm pack for 20% off.  I just love the Me & My Sister designers.  We  had supper and a nice visit.  It's amazing what a little "girl" time can do for your soul.

Playing in the Rain

Feeding "Baby"

While Jen was home she took over my feeding duties.  This is "Baby".  Her momma died.  Grass tetany was the diagnosis and the veterinary treated her.  Unfortunately a few days later she died.   We feed Baby two quarts of milk replacer morning and evening.   The only way Baby could be adopted is another cow's baby would die.  We did have a cow with a dead calf last week, but she nearly killed DH and I getting her in the barn to try an adoption for Baby.  We decided it was easier to feed Baby until a more friendly applicant becomes available.

She is such a sweetie.  She comes running to the fence for her bottle.   We keep a couple old cows and their calves in the pen with her, so she has company.  

Good to the last drop!

Calving is starting to wind down.  We have about 20 left to calve.  We spent last week farming too.  The wheat and oats are planted.  Corn planting will start next week.  It will be time to work cattle soon too.  It has been cooler than usual.  I haven't even started to think of planting anything in the garden.   The grass has really grown just the last few days.

Every day I'm thinking about my Raggedy Annie & Friends quilt.  As soon as time permits this will be my next project to complete.  I have all the squares embroidered.  I have a feeling it may be June before I get to it.  My main problem is the mess I have in my sewing area again.  I need to regroup and clean up.  I need to be willing to give up my napping for cleaning and sewing. 

The Quilter's Corner in Faulkton has moved to a larger building.  They are having a special event on Thursday night.  I'm crossing my fingers that I can get away to attend.  This is an awesome LQS and I'm so excited for them to have a larger space and more opportunities for quilting fun. 

The Official 1st Sign of Spring in SD

I know it's Spring when the mayflowers bloom on the native prairie.  Rocco and I took a little walk west of our place to check and see if Spring was here.

The pasque or wind flower in South Dakota dates back to a time long before Europeans settled in the area. The first flower to show its blossom in the spring was the subject of Plains Indian songs and legends. As the first blossom to show itself in the spring, the pasque flower lent itself to legend and an endearing place in the hearts of early settlers.


The history of the pasque flower, its abundance and its spring wake-up call made it a natural choice for the floral emblem of South Dakota.  The pasque flower is known by many names. The Lakota name for the flower is "hosi cekpa" meaning "child's navel." Others refer to this flower as anemone, wind flower, blue anemone, Hartshorne plant gosling plant American pulstilla, prairie crocus, blue tulip, wild crocus prairie smoke, sand flower, rock lily, headache plant, Coventry bells and the May Day flower.




 
As a child I was taught to call them May flowers.  They bloom the end of April or the first part of May.   This year they are very thick.  The moisture we had from that heavy snow helped to bring a bumper crop.  I love to walk on the prairie and think of the settler women who must have been pleased to see flowers blooming after the cold hard winter.  They are a lovely flower in their delicate beauty, but how hardy they really are to come back every year.
 
Things have not slowed down much, but I hope to be posting more often.  I miss sewing and reading my favorite blogs. 
 
We did attend Michelle's pinning ceremony in Pierre.  She is now a graduate from the University of South Dakota with a Degree in Nursing.  I was honored she chose me to "pin" her.  Jen flew in the day of graduation.  It was nice to have her here for a few days.  We enjoyed a Mother's Day supper together in Pierre too.  Jen flew home to Pensacola today. 

Michelle will be working at the hospital in Pierre.   She is busy studying for her licensing test in June.  We are very proud of her.  I know she will make a caring, compassionate nurse.